AIADMK's crucial meet, under EPS, discusses single leadership

CHENNAI: High drama unfurled at the AIADMK headquarters here on Monday where a crucial high-level office bearers meeting was presided by opposition leader and former chief minister Edappadi K Palaswami, where the proposed elevation of EPS as the next party general secretary was discussed.

Despite the party coordinator O Panneerselvam, in his statement mentioned that the meeting was "illegal", the supportes of EPS went ahead with the meeting without the consent party coordinator. Banners and posters of OPS at the party headquarters were torn by the EPS supporters and slogans crticising OPS was also shouted by the supporters of EPS.

A portion of poster where OPS face could be seen was torn and fixed later.

AIADMK party sources told DT Next that the agenda of the meeting was to scrap the dual leadership in the party as it will not strengthen the outfit. "This will be surely informed in the general council meeting of our party,” a senior functionary of the party said.

Emerging out of the AIADMDK's meeting, former fisheries minister D Jayakumar claimed that there is no need for the consent of OPS to convene the meeting and said party by law permits the seniors to convene the meeting.

With regard to Panneerselvam's statement claiming that the AIADMK's Monday meeting was illegal, Jayakumar said that he (Panneerselvam) do not know the basic rules of the party.

He alleged that Panneerselvam has already "betrayed the party after the Amma (Jayalalithaa) rule" and he does not have any local standii to claim the post of party coordinator.

To a question whether OPS would continue to be the party's treasurer, he said only the July 11 General Council could provide the answer. "Whether or not he will continue as treasurer will be decided in the meeting,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Edappadi faction was not interested to conduct the General Council Meeting at the usual place in Vanagaram. AIADMK seniors D Jayakumar and K A Sengottiyan also discussed the feasibility of holding the the party general council at a private college at Meenambakkam, but it is reported that the Higher Education Department had denied permission for the political event.